How to attain to perfect virtue:– a conversation with Yen Yüan.
1. Yen Yüan asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "To subdue one's self and return to propriety, is perfect virtue. If a man can for one day subdue himself and return to propriety, all under heaven will ascribe perfect virtue to him. Is the practice of perfect virtue from a man himself, or is it from others?"
2. Yen Yüan said, "I beg to ask the steps of that process." The Master replied, "Look not at what is contrary to propriety; listen not to what is contrary to propriety; speak not what is contrary to propriety; make no movement which is contrary to propriety." Yen Yüan then said, "Though I am deficient in intelligence and vigor, I will make it my business to practice this lesson."

Legge XII.1.

Yen Yuan asked about benevolence. The Master said, 'To return to the observance of the rites through overcoming the self constitutes benevolence. If for a single day a man could return tO the observance of the rites through overcoming himself, then the whole Empire would consider benevolence to be his. However, the practice of benevolence depends on oneself alone, and not on others.' Yen Yuan said, 'I should like you to list the items.' The Master said, 'Do not look unless it is in accordance with the rites; do not listen unless it is in accordance with the rites; do not speak unless it is in accordance with the rites; do not move unless it is in accordance with the rites.' Yen Yuan said, 'Though I am not quick, I shall direct my efforts towards what you have said.'

Wherein perfect virtue is realized:– a conversation with Chung-kung.
Chung-kung asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "It is, when you go abroad, to behave to every one as if you were receiving a great guest; to employ the people as if you were assisting at a great sacrifice; not to do to others as you would not wish done to yourself; to have no murmuring against you in the country, and none in the family." Chung-kung said, "Though I am deficient in intelligence and vigor, I will make it my business to practice this lesson."

Legge XII.2.

Chung-kung asked about benevolence. The Master said, 'When abroad behave as though you were receiving an important guest. When employing the services of the common people behave as though you were officiating at an important sacrifice. Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.1 In this way you will be free from ill will whether in a state or in a noble family.' Chun-kung said, 'Though I am not quick, I shall direct my efforts towards what you have said.'

Caution in speaking a characteristic of perfect virtue:– a conversation with Tsze-niû.
1. Sze-mâ Niû asked about perfect virtue.
2. The Master said, "The man of perfect virtue is cautious and slow in his speech."
3. "Cautious and slow in his speech!" said Niu;– "is this what is meant by perfect virtue?" The Master said, "When a man feels the difficulty of doing, can he be other than cautious and slow in speaking?"

Legge XII.3.

Ssu-ma Niu asked about benevolence. The Master said, 'The mark of the benevolent man is that he is loath to speak.' 'In that case, can a man be said to be benevolent simply because he is loath to speak?' The Master said, 'When to act is difficult, is it any wonder that one is loath to speak? '

How the Chün-tsze has neither anxiety nor fear, and conscious rectitude frees from these.
1. Sze-mâ Niû asked about the superior man. The Master said, "The superior man has neither anxiety nor fear."
2. "Being without anxiety or fear!" said Niû;– "does this constitute what we call the superior man?"
3. The Master said, "When internal examination discovers nothing wrong, what is there to be anxious about, what is there to fear?"

Legge XII.4.

Ssu-ma Niu asked about the gentleman. The Master said, 'The gentleman is free from worries and fears.' 'In that case, can a man be said to be a gentleman simply because he is free from worries and fears?' The Master said, 'If, on examining himself, a man finds nothing to reproach himself for, what worries and fears can he have?'

Consolation offered by Tsze-hsiâ to Tsze-niû, anxious about the ways of his brother.
1. Sze-mâ Niû, full of anxiety, said, "Other men all have their brothers, I only have not."
2. Tsze-hsiâ said to him, "There is the following saying which I have heard –
3. "'Death and life have their determined appointment; riches and honors depend upon Heaven.'
4. "Let the superior man never fail reverentially to order his own conduct, and let him be respectful to others and observant of propriety:– then all within the four seas will be his brothers. What has the superior man to do with being distressed because he has no brothers?"

Legge XII.5.

Ssu-ma Niu appeared worried, saying, 'All men have brothers. I alone have none.' Tzu-hsia said, 'I have heard it said: life and death are a matter of Destiny; wealth and honour depend on Heaven. The gentleman is reverent and does nothing amiss, is respectful towards others and observant of the rites, and all within the Four Seas are his brothers. What need is there for the gentleman to worry about not having any brothers?'

What constitutes intelligence:– addressed to Tsze-chang.
Tsze-chang asked what constituted intelligence. The Master said, "He with whom neither slander that gradually soaks into the mind, nor statements that startle like a wound in the flesh, are successful, may be called intelligent indeed. Yea, he with whom neither soaking slander, nor startling statements, are successful, may be called farseeing."

Legge XII.6.

Tzu-chang asked about perspicacity. The Master said, 'When a man is not influenced by slanders which are assiduously repeated or by complaints for which he feels a direct sympathy, he can be said to be perspicacious. He can at the same time be said to be farsighted.'

Requisites in government:– a conversation with Tsze-kung.
1. Tsze-kung asked about government. The Master said, "The requisites of government are that there be sufficiency of food, sufficiency of military equipment, and the confidence of the people in their ruler."
2. Tsze-kung said, "If it cannot be helped, and one of these must be dispensed with, which of the three should be foregone first?" "The military equipment," said the Master.
3. Tsze-kung again asked, "If it cannot be helped, and one of the remaining two must be dispensed with, which of them should be foregone?" The Master answered, "Part with the food. From of old, death has been the lot of an men; but if the people have no faith in their rulers, there is no standing for the state."

Legge XII.7.

Tzu-kung asked about government. The Master said, 'Give them enough food, give them enough arms, and the common people will have trust in you.' Tzu-kung said, 'If one had to give up one of these three, which should one give up first?' 'Give up arms.' Tzu-kung said, 'If one had to give up one of the remaining two, which should one give up first?' 'Give up food. Death has always been with us since the beginning of time, but when there is no trust, the common people will have nothing to stand on.'

Substantial qualities and accomplishments in the Chün-tsze.
1. Chî Tsze-ch'ang said, "In a superior man it is only the substantial qualities which are wanted;– why should we seek for ornamental accomplishments?"
2. Tsze-kung said, "Alas! Your words, sir, show you to be a superior man, but four horses cannot overtake the tongue.
3. "Ornament is as substance; substance is as ornament. The hide of a tiger or a leopard stripped of its hair, is like the hide of a dog or a goat stripped of its hair."

Legge XII.8.

Chi Tzu-ch'eng said, 'The important thing about the gentleman is the stuff he is made of. What does he need refinement for?' Tzu-kung commented, 'It is a pity that the gentleman should have spoken so about the gentleman. "A team of horses cannot catch up with one's tongue." The stuff is no different from refinement; refinement is no different from the stuff. The pelt of a tiger or a leopard, shorn of hair, is no different from that of a dog or a sheep.'

Light taxation the best way to secure the government from embrrassment for want of funds.
1. The duke Âi inquired of Yû Zo, saying, "The year is one of scarcity, and the returns for expenditure are not sufficient;– what is to be done?"
2. Yû Zo replied to him, "Why not simply tithe the people?"
3. "With two tenths," said the duke, "I find it not enough;– how could I do with that system of one tenth?"
4. Yû Zo answered, "If the people have plenty, their prince will not be left to want alone. If the people are in want, their prince cannot enjoy plenty alone."

Legge XII.9.

Duke Al asked Yu Juo, 'The harvest is bad, and I have not sufficient to cover expenditure. What should I do?' Yu Juo answered, 'What about taxing the people one part in ten?' 'I do not have sufficient as it is when I tax them two parts in ten. How could I possibly tax them one part in ten?' 'When the people have sufficient, who is there to share your insufficiency? When the people have insufficient, who is there to share your sufficiency?'

How to exalt virtue and discover delusions.
1. Tsze-chang having asked how virtue was to be exalted, and delusions to be discovered, the Master said, "Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles, and be moving continually to what is right, – this is the way to exalt one's virtue.
2. "You love a man and wish him to live; you hate him and wish him to die. Having wished him to live, you also wish him to die. This is a case of delusion.
3. "'It may not be on account of her being rich, yet you come to make a difference.'"

Legge XII.10.

Tzu-chang asked about the exaltation of virtue and the recognition of misguided judgement. The Master said, 'Make it your guiding principle to do your best for others and to be trustworthy in what you say, and move yourself to where rightness is, then you will be exalting virtue. When you love a man you want him to live and when you hate him you want to die. If, having wanted him to live, you then want him to die, this is misguided judgement.
If you did not do so for the sake of riches,
You must have done so for the sake of novelty.'

Good government obtains only when all the relative duties are maintained.
1. The duke Ching, of Ch'î, asked Confucius about government.
2. Confucius replied, "There is government, when the prince is prince, and the minister is minister; when the father is father, and the son is son."
3. "Good!" said the duke; "if, indeed, the prince be not prince, the minister not minister, the father not father, and the son not son, although I have my revenue, can I enjoy it?"

Legge XII.11.

Duke Ching of Ch'i asked Confucius about government. Confucius answered, 'Let the ruler be a ruler, the subject a subject, the father a father, the son a son.' The Duke said, 'Splendid! Truly, if the ruler be not a ruler, the subject not a subject, the father not a father, the son not a son, then even if there be grain, would I get to eat it?'

To prevent better than to determine litigations.
The Master said, "In hearing litigations, I am like any other body. What is necessary, however, is to cause the people to have no litigations."

Legge XII.13.

The Master said, 'In hearing litigation, I am no different from any other man. But if you insist on a difference, it is, perhaps, that I try to get the parties not to resort to litigation in the first place.

The art of governing.
Tsze-chang asked about government. The Master said, "The art of governing is to keep its affairs before the mind without weariness, and to practice them with undeviating consistency."

Legge XII.14.

Tzu-chang asked about government. The Master said, 'Over daily routine do not show weariness, and when there is action to be taken, give of your best.'

Hardly diferent from Book VI Chapter XXV.
The Master said, "By extensively studying all learning, and keeping himself under the restraint of the rules of propriety, one may thus likewise not err from what is right."

Legge XII.15.

The Master said, 'The gentleman widely versed in culture but brought back to essentials by the rites can, I suppose, be relied upon not to turn against what he stood for. '

Opposite influence upon others of the superior man and the mean man.
The Master said, "The superior man seeks to perfect the admirable qualities of men, and does not seek to perfect their bad qualities. The mean man does the opposite of this."

Legge XII.16.

The Master said, 'The gentleman helps others to realize what is good in them; he does not help them to realize what is bad in them. The small man does the opposite.'

Government moral in its end, and efficient by example.
Chî K'ang asked Confucius about government. Confucius replied, "To govern means to rectify. If you lead on the people with correctness, who will dare not to be correct?"

Legge XII.17.

Chi K'ang Tzu asked Confucius about government. Confucius answered, 'To govern (cheng) is to correct (cheng). If you set an example by being correct, who would dare to remain incorrect?'

The people are made thieves by the example of their rulers.
Chî K'ang, distressed about the number of thieves in the state, inquired of Confucius how to do away with them. Confucius said, "If you, sir, were not covetous, although you should reward them to do it, they would not steal."

Legge XII.18.

The prevalence of thieves was a source of trouble to Chi k'ang Tzu who asked the advice of Confucius. 'Confucius answered, 'If you yourself were not a man of desires,' no one would steal even if stealing carried a reward.'

Killing not to be talked of by rulers; the effect of their example.
Chî K'ang asked Confucius about government, saying, "What do you say to killing the unprincipled for the good of the principled?" Confucius replied, "Sir, in carrying on your government, why should you use killing at all? Let your evinced desires be for what is good, and the people will be good. The relation between superiors and inferiors is like that between the wind and the grass. The grass must bend, when the wind blows across it."

Legge XII.19.

Chi K'ang Tzu asked Confucius about government, saying, 'What would you think if, in order to move closer to those who possess the Way, I were to kill those who do not follow the Way?'
Confucius answered, 'In administering your government, what need is there for you to kill? Just desire the good yourself and the common people will be good. The virtue of the gentleman is like wind; the virtue of the small man is like grass. Let the wind blow over the grass and it is sure to bend.'

The man of true distinction, and the man of true notoriety.
1. Tsze-chang asked, "What must the officer be, who may be said to be distinguished?"
2. The Master said, "What is it you call being distinguished?"
3. Tsze-chang replied, "It is to be heard of through the state, to be heard of throughout his clan."
4. The Master said, "That is notoriety, not distinction.
5. "Now the man of distinction is solid and straightforward, and loves righteousness. He examines people's words, and looks at their countenances. He is anxious to humble himself to others. Such a man will be distinguished in the country; he will be distinguished in his clan.
6. "As to the man of notoriety, he assumes the appearance of virtue, but his actions are opposed to it, and he rests in this character without any doubts about himself. Such a man will be heard of in the country; he will be heard of in the clan."

Legge XII.20.

Tzu-chang asked, 'What must a Gentleman be like before he can be said to have got through?' The Master said, 'What on earth do you mean by getting through?' Tzu-chang answered, 'What I have in mind is a man who is sure to be known whether he serves in a state or in a noble family.' The Master said, 'That is being known, not getting through. Now the term "getting through" describes a man who is straight by nature and fond of what is right, sensitive to other people's words and observant of the expression on their faces, and always mindful of being modest. Such a man is bound to get through whether he serves in a state or in a noble family. On the other hand, the term "being known" describes a man who has no misgivings about his own claim to benevolence when all he is doing is putting up a facade of benevolence which is belied by his deeds. Such a man is sure to be known, whether he serves in a state or in a noble family.'

How to exalt virtue, correct vice, and discover delusions.
1. Fan Ch'ih rambling with the Master under the trees about the rain altars, said, "I venture to ask how to exalt virtue, to correct cherished evil, and to discover delusions."
2. The Master said, "Truly a good question!
3. "If doing what is to be done be made the first business, and success a secondary consideration:– is not this the way to exalt virtue? To assail one's own wickedness and not assail that of others;– is not this the way to correct cherished evil? For a morning's anger to disregard one's own life, and involve that of his parents;– is not this a case of delusion?"

Legge XII.21.

Fan Ch'ih was in attendance during an outing to the Rain Altar. He said, 'May I ask about the exaltation of virtue, the reformation of the depraved and the recognition of misguided judgement?' The Master said, 'What a splendid question! To put service before the reward you get for it, is that not exaltation of virtue? To attack evil as evil and not as evil of a particular man, is that not the way to reform the depraved? To let a sudden fit of anger make you forget the safety of your own person or even that of your parents, is that not misguided judgement?'

About benevolence and wisdom;– how knowledge subserves benevolence.
1. Fan Ch'ih asked about benevolence. The Master said, "It is to love all men." He asked about knowledge. The Master said, "It is to know all men."
2. Fan Ch'ih did not immediately understand these answers.
3. The Master said, "Employ the upright and put aside all the crooked; in this way the crooked can be made to be upright."
4. Fan Ch'ih retired, and, seeing Tsze-hsiâ, he said to him, "A Little while ago, I had an interview with our Master, and asked him about knowledge. He said, 'Employ the upright, and put aside all the crooked;– in this way, the crooked will be made to be upright.' What did he mean?"
5. Tsze-hsiâ said, "Truly rich is his saying!
6. "Shun, being in possession of the kingdom, selected from among all the people, and employed Kâo-yâo, on which all who were devoid of virtue disappeared. T'ang, being in possession of the kingdom, selected from among all the people, and employed Î Yin, and an who were devoid of virtue disappeared."

Legge XII.22.

Fan Ch'ih asked about benevolence. The Master said, 'Love your fellow men.'
He asked about wisdom. The Master said, 'Know your fellow men.' Fan Ch'ih failed to grasp his meaning. The Master said, 'Raise the straight and set them over the crooked.9 This can make the crooked straight.'
Fan Ch'ih withdrew and went to see Tzu-hsia, saying, 'Just now, I went to see the Master and asked about wisdom. The Master said, "Raise the straight and set them over the crooked. This can make the crooked straight." What did he mean?'
Tzu-hsia said, 'Rich, indeed, is the meaning of these words. When Shun possessed the Empire, he raised Kao Yao from the multitude and by so doing put those who were not benevolent at a great distance. When T'ang possessed the Empire, he raised Yi Yin from the multitude and by so doing put those who were not benevolent at a great distance.'

Prudence in friendship.
Tsze-kung asked about friendship. The Master said, "Faithfully admonish your friend, and skillfully lead him on. If you find him impracticable, stop. Do not disgrace yourself."

Legge XII.23.

Tzu-kung asked about how friends should be treated. The Master said, 'Advise them to the best of your ability and guide them properly, but stop when there is no hope of success. Do not ask to be snubbed.'